3 minute read

Godolphin trainer Saeed bin Suroor is likely to have two runners in the Royal Hunt Cup on day two of the Royal Ascot meeting on Wednesday 21 June.

Shining Blue and Ghaly will represent the handler in one of the biggest and competitive mile handicaps of the year. Saeed Bin Suroor trained Real World  to victory in the Royal Hunt Cup in 2021.

Shining Blue is a five time winner and returned to the UK from Meydan last month with an impressive four length success in a 7f York handicap.

Stablemate Ghaly makes his seasonal reappearance and closed off last campaign with a York handicap victory and a win on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket in October. It will be a step up in grade for the lightly raced seven-year-old.

Saeed Bin Suroor said:

"Shining Blue won well last time and he's come back good, he's in good form. Ghaly worked a few days ago and he worked well, but he still has a few more bits to do. Both are in good form and we're looking forward to running them.

"Shining Blue is back in good condition, in good form. He's happy and healthy so he should run well.

"We'll see how he gets on at Ascot before we make any more plans, but maybe we can start looking at Listed races for him."

"Ghaly has had some problems, he had a setback earlier in the year so we've given him time.

"He's been back in full training for some time and it has been going good, two more pieces of work and he'll be ready to run.

"He's not had many races for a seven-year-old and he's not very big but he always tries.

"I think this race should suit the both of them, this is the right trip for them and they go on any ground."

Shining Blue holds three entries: the Listed Ganton Stakes on Friday at York, the Royal Hunt Cup and the Bunbury Cup next month. Ghaly has one further entry alongside his Royal Hunt Cup assignment next week with a possible engagement in the John Smith's Cup at York in July.

The pair are around 12/1 for the Royal Ascot event.